Highlands Motorsport Park is a $25 million complex in Cromwell and is motorsport heaven, loaded with experiences for the entire family. There’s a sculpture park and go-karts for beginners. Jason opted to get his fast and furious on, sat in a car he never dreamed he would be sitting in, the McLaren 650S.

The McLaren 650S is a full blown exotic super car with a price tag around $500,000 and Jason was more than ready to experience a hot lap with professional race car driver Andrew Waite behind the wheel. Hitting over 200 kilometres an hour on the track, Jason was exhilarated. Currently the McLaren has been replaced with a Ferrari 488 GTV.

While he got a huge charge from being a passenger, Jason was more than ready to put some of Andrew’s valuable advice to the test and get behind the wheel of the very fancy-looking race car known as Radical SR3.

The Radical SR3 is very similar to the Le Mans vehicles seen in endurance races and is hugely popular within the racing community. It features aerodynamic bodywork for increased downforce, reduced drag and racing slick tyres for ultimate cornering speed. They are fitted with a 6-speed paddle shift gearbox to complete the ultimate race car feel. The sound generated by the highly tuned four-cylinder racing engine as it accelerates down Pisa Straight is music to the driver’s ears.

The National Motorsport Museum, located on the grounds, is home to endless information about New Zealand’s motor racing history. There are rare and special cars that are housed within the museum, which is said to be a car lover's heaven. Museum entry includes use of the Bathurst shaped mini-golf course, as well as some fun on balance bikes for children under six.

The Highlands Sculpture Park is well worth a wander to enjoy clever car sculptures. There are plenty of photo opportunities and children just love them.

Motorsport Café is fully licensed and has an indoor/outdoor deck. Fresh local produce is used to create top notch meals enjoyed while overlooking the track and the beautiful Central Otago high country.